Courting the Lucky Lady
by Animelover133
Summary: Adrien, free from his father and all alone, is invited to his friend's ball, unaware of the lovely lady he's going to meet when he arrives. Falling for her is the easy part, but courting her is a whole other story. /Renaissance AU/ For: ghostgirl19
1. Chapter 1

**This little fanfic is one I've been writing and rewriting. This is dedicated to one of my fav authors, ghostgirl19, who I hope likes this.**

 **I don't own Miraculous Ladybug or any of the music I listened to while writing this. I love waltz music.**

* * *

Dark, cold, alone. Adrien hated the fact that he felt no better than his father, sitting alone in his own empty palace and staring blankly out of his bedroom window. Not that there was much to see, due to the endless rain that had plagued the entire week. He sighed and leaned his head against his hand, slouching in his comfortable chair.

A knock on his door. "Monsieur Agreste? A letter has arrived for you."

He glumly sighed. "Come in. Who sent it? Chloe again?"

A lovely maid in a black gown and red apron with his palace symbol entered the room, holding a golden envelope in one hand. She held it out with a small smile.

"It's from Monsieur Lahiffe. It appears he just arrived home from his honeymoon and wishes to have a ball. I'm sure he would love to see you again and introduce you to his wife."

"Tikki, why is it you always look through my things before they get to me?"

She giggled and turned away to leave the room. "Someone has to take care of you in this huge palace, Monsieur."

With that, she left and softly closed the door behind her, her clicking heels fading down the hall. Adrien sat up and looked over the envelope that held his name in large, blocky letters, then turned it over to reveal the waxed seal, with Nino's own symbol pressed into it. He pulled out the letter and opened it, his eyes scanning over the paper. A smile, one that seemed to suit him far better than a frown, grew on his face.

The letter was long, consisting of Nino excitedly telling Adrien about his wondrous wife, Alya Césaire, whom Adrien had never seen yet, but had heard plenty about her from his smitten friend when he had come across her in the park last year. The letter went on to talk about the ball Alya had insisted upon and wishing for the handsome bachelor to join them in the festivity.

He put down the letter and looked out into the rainy day that had seemed so dreary before, smiling wistfully. He had missed talking to Nino and he had always been curious about the mysterious lady that had captured his friend's heart so long ago. He was awfully bored and lonely nowadays, seeing as his line of work would have to wait until this rain subsided. A ball sounded like just the thing to get him into his usual self.

He hopped up from his chair and rushed out of his room, the letter held tightly in his hand. He hadn't felt this excited in a while.

"Tikki, I need to find something to wear to Nino's ball!"

* * *

Adrien sat in his carriage and watched the rain from the window, ignoring the bumpy ride while enjoying the muted buildings of the city. Tikki sat opposite of him and couldn't help but want to laugh at her master's expression. He looked positively giddy to be doing something, going somewhere. It was rather refreshing from his sulking mood from these past months.

"Tikki…do you think anyone else will be there? Like Rose or Nathaniel? It's been so long since I've seen any familiar faces."

"Perhaps. You might even meet someone new. I'm sure Madam Lahiffe will have invited some friends of her own."

Adrien's stomach twisted in nervous anticipation. "I hope they'll like me."

Tikki reached over and set her delicate hand on his, getting his attention. "Monsieur, it would be impossible not to like someone as kind as you. I'm sure my husband would say the same if he weren't sitting out in the rain right now."

The young master glanced back out the window. "Plagg certainly…has a way of telling me he likes me."

Tikki giggled and put her hands in her lap. "He's always been that way, annoyingly enough. Rough on the outside, but sweet as macaroons on the inside…somewhere."

Adrien shifted in his seat and then began to fidget with his black bowtie. Tikki scoffed and lightly slapped his hands away before leaning over to fix it.

"Sorry…I know I shouldn't be nervous, Tikki, but I can't help it."

"I know." The carriage slowed as music trickled into the carriage, lights filling the street as people of every sort made their way past them to the ball. The carriage stopped. "Relax and just be your usual charming self. Minus those silly jokes you do. Any of those could have anyone running for the hills."

He flashed a bright grin. "Why not? They're my best feature."

The maid rolled her eyes as the carriage shook before its door was opened by a man dressed in black, holding a large umbrella open for his master. Adrien climbed out and waited for Plagg to help his wife out before he turned to look at the Lahiffe home.

It was lit from every window and the music that came from inside lifted the heavy weight in his stomach. The double doors were just waiting to be opened for the young man and he tried not to let negativity get to him. He knew he looked the part of an Agreste, with an expensive tuxedo and accessorized to look pristine as could be. Green trench coat, black leather gloves, a diamond wristwatch. Maybe he had gone too far in dressing up.

"Ready, Monsieur?" Plagg asked.

Adrien nodded and began to walk towards the slick staircase, Plagg and Tikki following behind him with the umbrella to keep them all dry.

"Excuse me, pardon me!"

Adrien turned to see a young woman, completely by herself and rushing to get to the door, using only her gloved hands to shield herself from the rain. Her midnight blue gown was soaked and her hair was clinging to her face, but her face still looked bright and almost appeared to be enjoying running in this weather.

He automatically stepped aside to let her pass him and watched as he raced up the stairs before knocking loudly on the double doors. A lovely woman opened it and gasped at the sight.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng! What in the world-?!"

"Hi Alya, sorry I'm late!" The soaking wet woman exclaimed brightly.

"Where's your umbrella?" Alya (Adrien could see why Nino was enraptured by her) shook her head and smiled. "Do I even want to know, actually?"

"So I sort of fell asleep and then my umbrella broke on the way here and t-"

"You didn't take your carriage? Marinette…"

"It's not far. I wanted to walk." She pouted. "Can I come in now?"

Alya sighed. "Let's get you cleaned up first. Go upstairs. I'm glad you gave me a few of your dresses, so you can just change into one of them."

"Thanks, Alya. I'd give you a hug, but…" She gestured to herself.

Madam Lahiffe stepped aside and waved her in before her eyes focused on Adrien, who hadn't moved from his stop. She looked him over before smirking slightly.

"You're Adrien Agreste. Nino's told me a lot about you. Come on in."

"Heh. What exactly has he told you?" he inquired.

"Many things." Was her only reply.

He made his way up the remaining stairs and out of the rain, Tikki and Plagg following behind. Alya put out her hand in a clear gesture to shake it. He took it and was surprised at the firmness.

"The party is right down this hall, the servants' quarter is that way, connected to the kitchen. Relax and enjoy." She looked at Adrien as he dismissed his servants. "I'd escort you, but I have to help a friend. Nino has been waiting for your arrival, you know. Go on ahead."

Adrien nodded and stared after the mistress as she made her way up the spiral staircase, then looked down the hall she had spoken of. A few people were mingling out in the hall, smiling and enjoying the finger food and drinks, as well as the company.

As he made his way into the large ballroom, he spotted a few women and men pointing him, some whispering and giggling. He needed to find Nino…or any of his friends, really.

"Um, excuse me. Would you like to dance?"

He turned to see a woman in a sunset-colored gown, her brown hair tied in a low ponytail. Her olive-green eyes peeked up innocently at him.

"Er, I…uh-"

"Adrien! Finally!" A hand clapped him on the shoulder and spun him around. "I was hoping you'd show!"

"Nino!" The two shook hands and grinned at one another. "You look good, my friend. Marriage suits you."

His friend glanced about joyfully. "Where's Alya? You've got to meet her, she's an absolute gem."

"Actually, I already met her."

"You di-oh. She opened the door for you, didn't she? When will that woman ever listen to me?" Nino laughed. "She likes doing things quickly and efficiently. She finds that having servants is strange and does things by herself."

"Well, she certainly has that spunk and fire you've told me about."

"Come and join me. There are so many people I'd like you to meet."

* * *

 **Another chapter soon to come! I'm going to try and update this while I can, seeing as December is kicking me in the stomach right now.**

 **Just hold on~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Another one, just as I said! Man, I was shocked at how fast you all took a liking to it.**

 **I don't anything~**

* * *

The party was lively and Adrien soaked it all in. Having Nino as company again was a wonderful feeling and he was also glad for the few people who he had been introduced to: Max, a young inventor, Ivan and Mylène, a kind couple and his old friend, Rose. They were all good people who took to the rich male easily, standing in a circle near the buffet tables, all holding either food or a drink.

"Nino, have you seen the Bourgeois' new establishment? It's simply beautiful!" Rose exclaimed.

"Ha. The fact that those people live there make it the opposite." Ivan sneered.

"They never were very welcoming." Mylène added.

Adrien didn't say much and just let the conversation flow throughout the circle, munching on his fourth beignet. Nino laughed at the face Max was making at the mere mention of the mayor's family, nearly choking on his diluted wine.

"Miss Bourgeois nearly ran me over at the market square two weeks ago. I'll never forget the look on her face when she spotted me. She's mad."

"She's also just cruel in general." Everyone turned to see Alya, her hands on her hips. "Sorry, I heard the last bit of that conversation and decided to get my two cents in."

Nino waved her over to him and the two seemed to melt together as he placed a kiss on her cheek. Adrien realized the two were matching, wearing light blue that balanced each other.

"Where have you been?"

"Helping Marinette. She walked here in the rain and her umbrella broke."

"She didn't take her carriage?" Mylène questioned shyly.

"Of course not. That would be logical." Alya sighed, rolling her eyes.

The group laughed and Adrien awkwardly did the same, feeling confused and slightly left out. Nino looked over at him.

"Have you met Marinette? She's certainly something."

"She's somethin' alright." Alya cut in, getting everyone to laugh again.

"I haven't met her, but I've seen her. She seems…eccentric."

Alya smiled. "Sounds about right. Actually, she's right over there. Mari!"

Adrien looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened. She certainly had cleaned up, but if she had looked lovely before in the rain, she was a gorgeous sight now. Her hair was pinned up with a Chinese hair pin that glittered in the light, matching the black and dark pink – almost red – gown she wore. Adrien blinked and mentally berated himself for having been so rude and staring at a lady, no matter how beautiful she looked. He forced himself to turn away from the sight even as she walked up right beside him, Alya stepped back to add her into the circle.

"Hi Rose! Your dress is so pretty!"

"Of course it is! You made it for me, remember?"

"Oh…" She blushed. "I must have forgot."

"Forgetful as ever." Mylène giggled.

Alya put her hand on her friend's shoulder and smiled brightly. "Marinette, I'd like you to me Nino's friend, Adrien. Adrien, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Blue eyes met his and he tried to say the first thing that came to his head before he forgot what words were.

"I'm lost at sea."

Marinette gave him an odd look. "Um…pardon?"

So much for forgetting words. He coughed and backtracked, his hands clasped behind his back.

"I mean, you look quite nice."

She tilted her head to the side. "Well, thank you."

An awkward pause followed before he nodded to the buffet table. "I'm going to get some more food."

The group watched the blond man quickly venture to the table and stand there before grabbing some macaroons and two raspberry tarts, shoving one into his mouth.

"This seems interesting." Nino whispered to his wife.

"Let's just wait and see, Nino."

* * *

Adrien felt like a fool as he wandered off alone, refusing to even dance; he feared making a greater fool of himself than he already had and he couldn't handle that sort of humility. Many women asked him to dance, but he denied them and steered clear from any potential females that seemed interested in him. For his looks or name, of course.

Nino found him back at the buffet table on his third trip there, nibbling on an éclair and holding a half-empty glass.

"Adrien, there you went! I was looking for you."

"Nino, I made myself look like an incompetent buffoon in front of your friends. Don't ask me to join you again…"

"You've been cooped up for far too long in that home of yours. Come on, I know you haven't danced yet and the night is still young."

"It's also still raining, Nino, so your point is invalid."

Nino took his friend by the arm and began to pull him through the crowd. "Come on, you bumbling bachelor. You need to get out and mingle a bit more."

It was useless for Adrien to get away or use his words to get out of the situation; Nino was on a mission to get his friend to dance.

"There you are! We've all been looking everywhere for you!" Alya piped up as the two men made their way over to her. "Mari! We found you a dance partner!"

The blond froze as the lovely lady emerged from the crowd, smiling softly as she waved at someone before making her way to Alya.

"Okay, who's my mysterious dance partner?"

Alya gestured to Adrien, who wanted nothing more than to jump out the window and never look back. Marinette hummed thoughtfully.

"Adrien hasn't danced with any either since he got here, so I think this will do him some good." Nino spoke up.

"Nino!" Adrien hissed, but was ignored.

"So what do you say, Mari?"

"…I don't see why not. There are worse options." she said with a quirky smile.

The previous butterflies of fear vanished from Adrien's stomach the moment that smile was thrown at him. He grinned back and stepped forward, feeling less nervous at the relaxed nature of this lovely woman. He bowed at the waist and held out his hand for her to take. He didn't expect her to laugh and push him away by the nose, her eyes shining with humor.

"Come on, Adrien. This song should be ending soon." She moved to stand beside him and loop her arm with his. "I'll try not to step on your toes too much."

"There are worse options." he shot back.

She just laughed and dragged him into the dancers.

* * *

 **And another chapter is finished! On to the next one!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Third chapter! I'm just kicking out this fanfic and I hope it doesn't stop.**

 **I own nothing.**

* * *

The music had been background noise the moment the young bachelor had stepped foot inside the Lahiffe estate, but he now forced his brain to tune in on the lovely tempo as Marinette pulled him along. She finally stopped when the music did, then turned to him and held her hand out to him.

"Ready?" she asked as people clapped for the musicians.

His grin couldn't get any brighter at this point as he stood in the natural waltz pose, making sure he kept his distance; he was a gentleman first. Her tense muscles relaxed as he led the dance and the music strung them along. It wasn't long before he had built up the courage to attempt to start a conversation with her. Correctly this time, he hoped.

"So why haven't you danced with anyone? Certainly someone has asked you by now."

Her eyes, which had been focused on his shoulder, met his and looked at him for a moment before she sighed and responded.

"Of course I was. I just refused them all because the disturbing looks I always get. Some don't even take the first hint."

He raised an eyebrow. "Then why accept mine? Is Alya that persuasive?"

She shook her head. "No, but you're right about her being persuasive."

He chuckled before spinning her and bringing her back, which had brought back that smile on her face. He tried not to focus on the fact that she had begun to step closer to him, getting comfortable with him now.

"So how long have you known Nino?"

"Well…" He paused and thought it over. "For about three years now. He was the first person to greet me when I came here."

"Where are you originally from? London?"

"No, born and raised in Paris." Her confused expression was just as pleasant to look at as her other ones. "I was able to get away from my demanding father. I came here for my freedom."

Her eyes widened. "That sounds like quite a feat."

He grimaced. "Not exactly."

She said nothing as the two danced on, letting the song end before saying another word. He clapped along with the rest of the dancers, but Marinette stopped him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Care for another dance, monsieur?"

He blinked back at her as she curtsied and smirked, holding out a hand to him. Ignoring the odd looks the two were getting, he accepted and the two continued dancing.

* * *

The night ended all too soon, with Marinette leaving a bit early to head home to get some rest. He had escorted her to the front door, the two standing in the entrance for a moment before she inhaled sharply and smiled at him.

"I had a good time. This ended better than I expected." She held her hand out in the same manner Alya had before. "Thank you."

He smirked. There was no way he was going to let this opportunity pass. He took her hand and swiftly leaned down to press his lips to the back of her gloved hand. Her body tensed in surprise and he quickly released her hand, his face still smug. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"And here I thought you were going to sweep me off my feet."

He laughed. "Don't sound so disappointed."

Her face changed into a lovely shade of red in an instant. "I-I don't recall asking to be wooed by you!"

He winked and slyly opened the door for her, revealing the downpour outside. She blanched as she stuck her head outside.

"Looks like I'm running in the rain again. Changing was pointless."

A lightbulb popped into Adrien's head as he rushed off to the large coatroom. Among the stacked piles of coats, hats and plenty of other umbrellas, he found his and pulled it out, going back and handing it out to the lovely lady.

"Is…this yours?"

"Well, it's yours now." he replied.

She stared back at him in awe as he waited for her to take it. Her hand moved and slowly took it, then breathlessly thanked him before stepping out into the rain and opening the umbrella. She glanced behind her and smiled, giving a wave, before walking down the stairs and off into the rain, vanishing from his sight.

Adrien hoped that umbrella would make its way back to him somehow. Even better if it was attached to a lovely lady.

* * *

The next day, he got a surprise visit from, not Marinette, but Alya. Tikki had escorted her into his study and Adrien had nearly sagged in disappointment when he saw who it was. As the door closed behind his maid, Alya laughed.

"You certainly look upset that it was me. Were you expecting someone else?"

"Yes and no." He regained his posture. "So what brings you to my estate?"

Alya walked around the study, brushing her fingers on a bookshelf. Her face didn't betray her thoughts in any way.

"Have you taken a liking to my friend?"

He wasn't awfully shocked that she knew, seeing as he had made it quite obvious. He hadn't expected her to be so forward, however, and just ask if he was interested in Marinette or not. He leaned back in his chair and smirked.

"Which friend?"

"Marinette, of course." Her hazel eyes narrowed. "Don't joke around with me. This is my best friend we're talking about here."

He nodded. "I know."

"So what now? Are you going to woo her and gain her trust until she bores you?"

His lips turned down into a frown. "I'm many things, Alya, but I'm not a man who messes with a woman's heart."

She folded her arms over her chest, standing as an independent woman with amazing strength and love for her friend.

"I came here to warn you that if you're planning on trying to gain my friend's affections, you had better do it with good intentions and morals. She doesn't need that in her life."

Adrien stood up and held his head high, facing her with a stern gleam in his eye.

"If I were ever to have a woman like Marinette, then I would court her. She deserves nothing less."

Alya's face stayed neutral for a moment before breaking out into the most excited look he'd ever seen on a person. She rushed to him and took his hands in hers.

"I'll help you along, then! Marinette has refused so many men and you were the first she showed any interest in. This is so exciting!"

* * *

 **So there you have it! I'm glad I have a friend like Alya.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I just realized I have no idea where this is going to go. I know the ending, though. XD Good job, me.**

 **I own nada.**

* * *

Adrien now sat in the Lahiffe home, awaiting the arrival of dinner with the sound of rain as background music. Alya sat beside Nino, facing Adrien and an empty seat. He eyed it and rubbed his thumb on his water glass in anticipation.

"Are you sure she's coming?"

Alya sipped her water and gave a short laugh. "Oh, I'm sure. She's always been fashionably late."

"So being late is another quirky trait?"

"It's best you get used to it." Nino informed him.

The door opened as servants came in and began to serve the food, Tikki and Plagg being among them. The empty chair was served as well and was left with a plate cover to keep warm. Just then, there came a loud knock on the front door, getting Alya to smirk.

"And here she is. Could you open the door, Caline?"

The maid nodded and went to obey the request. Adrien held his breath as he strained to listen. The front door opened and his heart soared at the sweet voice that spoke.

"I'm here! I apologize for being late, I had some orders to finish before I left. It's always busy on Sundays, you know."

Marinette was escorted into the dining room, wearing a lavender dress and a black shawl. Her step faltered when she saw the empty chair and who was sitting beside it. Alya was the one to break the silence.

"Hi Mari. We almost started without you."

Adrien, realizing he was being unintentionally rude, scrambled to his feet to pull out the chair for her to sit. She blinked back at him for a long moment, much like she had with the umbrella, before going over and settling down into the chair, her shoulders hunched up to her ears as he pushed it in for her and sat back down.

"Um, you look…dry." Adrien quickly tried again. "Did you come by carriage this time?"

She shook her head at him. "No, it's only a light sprinkle outside, so I walked."

He opened his mouth to ask if she had used the umbrella he had given her, but didn't get the chance to as Nino happily exclaimed,

"Let's eat before it gets cold!"

Everyone dug into the hot meal and hummed their approval, making small talk to each other. All the while, Adrien was attempting to get an actual conversation with Marinette, but ultimately failing at each turn. She seemed to be purposely cutting him off from her and gave him only short answers that left no room for further discussion. In fact, she sounded _angry_ with him.

"Could you pass me the butter, Alya?"

"Adrien is closer, Marinette." Alya gave her an odd look. "Just ask him."

Awkward silence. He waited and sipped at his water for her to turn to him and ask, but she never even glanced his way.

"Pass me the butter, please." she asked in a curt tone.

"Oh…of course." He did so and she snatched it from his hand. "You're welcome."

"Thank you."

The remainder of the dinner mostly consisted of Marinette ignoring Adrien and speaking to him only when it was called for, her eyes never strayed to him. He wished he could ask her what he had done, but he doubted she would answer him.

Dessert was served and finished, conversation was slightly tense and the young bachelor wondered if she was going to leave the moment she had taken her last bite. Thankfully, she didn't.

"Alya, I nearly forgot to tell you I brought back your dress."

Her friend stood. "And I cleaned yours. We can go exchange them."

The two up and left, which gave Nino and Adrien time to speak privately.

"She completely ignored me, Nino. I believe that's as clear a sign as any." He sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. "And here I thought I had a chance. She had seemed amused with me during the party. She was the one to ask me for a second dance, even!"

"Calm down. She's probably…well, she's more so angry at Alya than she is at you. Just let them talk it out and I'm sure you'll get your chance to properly speak to her."

"I hope you're right."

Nino called for the table to be cleared while they waited for the ladies to return, adding to Adrien's anxiety. Maybe he shouldn't have come.

Once Alya and Marinette came back downstairs, Adrien stood to his feet. Her eyes snapped to him for a brief second and he took the opportunity.

"May I walk with you back to your home?"

A surprised look again. "I…didn't you arrive by carriage?"

"It wouldn't hurt to stretch my legs a bit. My schedule is open for today."

She didn't seem completely disgusted with him as she pondered on his request. Perhaps she and Alya had talked it out while upstairs. She didn't seem to be denying his existence anymore, at least. She finally gave him a nod and actually gave him a smile, the first of today.

"I don't see why not. I can return your umbrella as well."

"It's yours now, remember?" he chuckled.

"You'll have to persuade me better than that, monsieur." She smiled coyly. "Let's go now before this sprinkle changes into a downpour."

"Gladly."

* * *

It wasn't until they got to her doorstep that she turned and looked at him with sincerity in her blue eyes. She bit her lip before speaking, closing the umbrella.

"Adrien, I'd like to apologize. I was awfully rude to you during dinner and I hope you're not angry with me. Though…I understand if you are."

He smiled. "Then walking you home would be counterintuitive."

"I suppose it would, wouldn't it?" She returned the smile and then held out her hand. "Thank you."

He took her hand and shook it before putting it to his lips. She sighed and rolled her eyes before pushing him away by the nose like before.

"Will you ever learn, monsieur?"

"Perhaps not. Besides, I rather like doing that." He winked, feeling elated at the light blush that came across her cheeks. "I'd best be going then. Until next time, Marinette."

"There's going to be a next time?"

"You sound hopeful at that." he teased.

She scoffed and thrust the umbrella at him. "I'll try not to get your hopes up next time, monsieur."

She went inside with a smug look on her face, leaving him to stand there on her doorstep, his heart pounding just a little faster than was normal. It looked like he still had a chance with this lovely lady after all.

* * *

 **Mmm...I think I'll leave it there. Yes?**

 **No? Okay, no. Next chapter coming soon~**


	5. Chapter 5

**Another one? Yep, another one. I'm just flying out with these and it's a wonderful feeling.**

 **Owning nothing still...**

* * *

Adrien didn't see Marinette for many weeks after that warm goodbye on her doorstep, but that didn't stop him from thinking about her constantly. His days in his palace was sweeter with memories of her and he wondered if each day would be the day he would spot her face once more.

"You know, you can just go and talk to her like a normal human being. You know where she lives now, don't you?" Plagg spoke up when he found his master roaming about the library just wistfully walking around. "She's not going to bite off your head."

"I'm not going to show up unannounced at her door and just expect her to be comfortable with that, Plagg. She's a lady. She should be treated as such."

"So flitting about like cupid's lovestruck fairy is any better?"

"Oh, leave him be, Plagg." Tikki scolded, having walked in on the exchange. "It's the first time we've seen him smile like that in so long. He's allowed to fall in love."

"Well, I find it pointless if the woman he's falling for doesn't know about it." He grinned at her. "It's how I got you, remember?"

She blushed and firmly swatted him on the shoulder. "Plagg! Hush!"

"Heh. See? She certainly isn't fazed by my forwardness. Woman like that."

"Oh, don't listen to him, Monsieur. He knows nothing about a woman's heart." Tikki batted her husband again. "Go and make some food with Jag. You know how he is."

Plagg obeyed with a snicker.

"Plagg may be right, Tikki. She might enjoy a little surprise visit from me. I could-"

"You want to court her, then do it right." She began to tidy up while speaking. "Recall that she certainly wasn't pleased with your surprise arrival at dinner, so I doubt that trying something similar would be a nice way to begin courting her."

"Then what should I do? I don't know her well enough to simply ask her to join me for a romantic dinner or to take a stroll in the park."

"Not to mention it's raining." Tikki laughed. "But I'm sure you can figure out a way to get to know her without doing those sorts of things so early."

"Like what? Tikki, you know I'm useless in these sorts of things."

"A letter? Poetry?" She turned with a book in her hand and showed him the title: ' **The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'**. "You read more than enough to be able to write your own."

He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Well, I-I guess so."

"Better get started."

* * *

He sat and held his chin on his fist, leaning over an empty piece of paper with a feather quill. Scattered around him was balled up paper, some of which held writing and others that had been splashed with ink (no thanks to his clumsiness). He wasn't as up to par with this as he had first thought.

"Ugh…this is absolutely impossible." He put the quill back in the ink bottle and leaned back in his chair. "No matter what I write, it won't sound even remotely good enough for Marinette."

Still, he leaned back over the paper and tried again, taking the quill in his hand. The paper seemed to glare at him in challenge, daring him to actually write something. He groaned and put the quill back again.

"That doesn't sound very promising, Monsieur Agreste."

He raised his head and felt relief flood through him. "Nino!"

He got up from his seat and shook hands with his friend, who laughed and nodded to his messy desk behind him.

"What's with the mess there?"

The blond winced. "I'm trying my hand at poetry."

"It doesn't appear to be faring well for you."

"Not one bit." He sighed. "Forgive the mess, by the way. I wasn't expecting any visits or company."

"Not at all." Nino reached down and picked up a crushed paper roll, unfolding it. "Though, I never thought of you as one to write poetry."

Adrien blushed, something he rarely did. "Well, I was hoping to send it to Marinette."

Nino's face lit up at the news. "You are?!"

"Well, if I succeed at actually writing something decent."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out." Nino laughed.

"We'll see. Anyway, what brings you here?"

Nino grinned and rummaged in his coat pocket before pulling out a folded piece of paper, handing it over to Adrien, who unfolded it and read the content.

"Well?"

"A masque?"

"Yes! Alya saw a large group giving these out. The entrance price is appropriate, don't you think?" Adrien nodded. "And you can dress up! Alya is already talking Marinette into going, so why not go and meet her there?"

"Wait, what?!"

"It's perfect, Adrien." He put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you going to come?"

Adrien thought it over in his head. It seemed like as good an idea as any. His poetry wasn't going well and this was a better option should that ultimately fail. He tucked it away in his pocket.

"I'll be there."

* * *

The masquerade's date felt too far and yet, too close at the same time for Adrien. He had an entire month to wait and still make attempts at courting Marinette, all while preparing his masque costume in time. Thankfully, Tikki was good with a needle and thread, so he wouldn't have much of a problem with that. He would rather not go out and have every tailor reject him because they were completely burdened.

He had sent out a few poems to Marinette, but he hadn't gotten so much as a written response. Tikki and Nino had been his editors, with Alya to be the one to judge it in the end. She _was_ Dupain-Cheng's best friend, after all.

"Are you certain she's even received them, Alya? She hasn't written back or come to see me and tell me if she even likes them or not." He asked one day as he was visiting the Lahiffe's. "I haven't seen or heard her at all. Surely you must have."

Alya smugly kept her reply short. "She got them."

"And?!"

She only smiled and said nothing, making the young man all the more agitated. He looked pleadingly to Nino in hopes of getting his wife to talk, but Nino only held his hands up in surrender and laugh.

"Sorry Adrien. When Alya doesn't want to say anything, she'll keep her lips sealed tight."

"Ugh…well, I suppose I can find out at the masque."

"That's not for another two weeks, though. You're going to wait that long?" Nino asked, shocked.

"Do I have much of a choice?"

"Er…I suppose."

Adrien just left it at that.

* * *

 **Dang. Poor Adrien. Hopefully he'll get answers soon.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we go! Took me a bit because I'm super rusty on my poetry.**

 **Anyway, thank you all for the kind words and for enjoying this little thing. I enjoy balls and gowns and all that awesome stuff, so this is even more fun to write than ever before.**

 **Read on!**

 **I don't own...nope, still nothing.**

* * *

Adrien didn't get to see his masquerade costume until Tikki had finished it. When he did, he was amazed at the detail and the amount of time she had put into it.

"This is amazing, Tikki!"

"Oh hush."

He shook his head in wonder as he circled the mannequin, looking over the black and silver thief costume and fingering the material every so often. It was fitted and even had a fake scabbard to go along with it. Tight pants, a silver ruffle shirt with billowing sleeves and an emerald belt. He pointed at it in confusion.

"Green?"

She nodded and pulled out a large box, handing it over to him. He gave her a questioning look, but she just gestured to the box. As he unlocked the clash, she clasped her hands together in excitement.

"I wanted to add a little something that would go with your mask. You can't go to a masquerade ball without a mask."

Inside lay a large mask, complete with green and silver intricate patterns and pointed ears sticking from the top: a cat burglar. It looked phenomenal and it suited his taste perfectly.

"Tikki….you made this…?"

She nodded. "I made it large enough to properly hide your identity. I'm sure you'll feel less nervous while talking to her with this on."

"Wha-no, I-!"

"I'm sure she finds it amusing, Monsieur." She giggled. "There's only a week left until the masque, so you'd best prepare ahead of time."

He smirked as he picked up the mask. He couldn't wait.

* * *

The day before the ball, he got a little surprise. At dawn, Tikki burst into his room, waking him from his peaceful dream. It had been such a nice dream, with Marinette going on a boat ride with him. He groaned and rolled over as she flicked open the curtains of his bed and thrust something under his nose.

"Tikki, it's far too ear-"

"It's from Mademoiselle Marinette!"

That woke him up faster than anything ever could. "What?!"

He sat up, took the envelope and opened it (he guessed Tikki wanted him to have the honors this time), pulling it out and unfolding the letter while holding his breath.

It was a poem:

 _With such a way with words,_

 _I should think you were a poet._

 _In such a short amount of time,_

 _I never thought you'd show it._

 _I had never thought you charming,_

 _Yet now, I see I was wrong._

 _I thought you to be annoying,_

 _However, not for long._

 _You've shown to me such kindness,_

 _And manners, too._

 _Yet now that you've got my eye,_

 _I'm not sure what to do._

 _Perhaps, with time,_

 _I can get to know you._

 _I hope to see soon,_

 _And with a different view._

"What does that last line mean?" he asked Tikki.

"You should ask her yourself when you see her tomorrow." She closed the bed curtains. "Now go back to sleep."

* * *

The day came, along with a clear day, and Adrien couldn't stand having to wait until evening to get ready. Tikki finally gave in and let him dress after lunch, which got the young man to eat quicker than he ever had before.

"You're going to choke." Plagg commented as he set down a new glass of water.

"I'll live." Adrien replied.

Plagg sighed and shook his head. "And you say I'm bad, Tikki."

"You are when I get you camembert."

"Only because you rarely get it for me."

"It's expensive, Plagg. Besides, you don't need twenty blocks of stinky cheese." she huffed.

"That's what you think."

Tikki just rolled her eyes and turned to her master. "Plagg is right, though; you're going to choke at the pace you're going. Slow down a bit."

Adrien paused in taking a bite of food to stare up at her before sighing and doing as his maid had said. She smiled her approval and left to fetch his costume and lay it out on his bed. No doubt he would race to it the moment his last bite of food was in his mouth.

Which is exactly what he did, throwing his napkin onto the table and running for his bedroom. He was bouncing with energy and as he rushed into his room, he glanced at the clock that hung on his wall. Barely any time had passed, which annoyed him to no end.

"Why can't time go faster?" he grumbled.

He made his way to his bed, where each article of clothing was laid out for him. He dressed a bit slower, hoping that time would speed up. It didn't.

"Ugh, this is ridiculous." He buckled his emerald belt and snatched up his mask. "I can't take this anymore."

Moving over to his bedside, he grabbed the golden rope that hung near the head of his bed and pulled it, summoning Tikki. She appeared not long after, smiling as she saw him in his costume.

"You look stunning, Monsieur."

"I want to go to the Lahiffe estate. I'm going to go insane if I stay here and wait for time to go faster. Besides, the place the masque will be held is closer to their place than mine."

She blinked back at him. "Oh, alright then. I'll ask Plagg to fetch the carriage and horses while I pack our clothes."

"You made costumes for yourselves, too?"

"A master never leaves without his servants, Monsieur Agreste. You should know that by now." she said with a wink over her shoulder, leaving him in his room.

* * *

Alya was the one to open the door and didn't look the least bit shocked to see him on her doorstep. She was already dressed and looked fanciful with her orange dress, white lace stitched into it. She opened the door and smiled.

"Come in."

He nodded and did so, Tikki and Plagg coming in behind him. The door closed.

"I…um…I know I should have warned you of my sudden arriva-"

"But you couldn't wait any longer, could you? I understand, so no need to explain yourself." She gestured to her spiral staircase. "Marinette is the same way, actually."

He instantly panicked. "She's _here?!_ "

* * *

 **Whoa, calm down there, Adrien. You look like you're going to have a heartattack.**

 **Until the next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Gah! Sorry, I've been busy and in pain. Got a promise ring on the same day I got my first tattoo...and it HURTS.**

 **Anyway, enough of my pain. Read onward~**

 **I own nothing except the word "Ouch"...just kidding.**

* * *

"Adrien? What on earth are you doing here?"

Adrien spun around to look at who had just said his name and sighed in relief at the sight of his friend, dressed in a knight costume, the armor glittering a dark green under the chandelier light.

"He couldn't be patient and wait like a normal person." Alya laughed.

"N-no, I-"

"Oh, that's ironic, then! Marinette is here, too! Do you want me to go get her?" Nino asked, pointing back up the stairs.

"No!" He winced and instantly lowered his voice. "No, I was never here, Nino."

"But she's just upstairs, getting ready. I can-"

"Nino, I don't want her knowing I'm here. Just...Alya, can you hide me somewhere?"

She raised an eyebrow while pulling white lace gloves on. "You want me to hide you?"

"Just until she leaves." He paused. "She _is_ going to leave at some point, right?"

"Oh my. It seems you two are more alike than I once thought." Alya sighed. "I suppose I'll be kind and let y-"

"Alya? Who's here?"

Adrien held his breath as heels were heard coming closer before stepping down the first step of the staircase. His eyes watched as two red shoes made their way downward, followed by a black lace underskirt and a red, flowing train. A red gown. Open back. Strapless. A delicate black necklace and elbow-length gloves to match. Her hair was down, maskless. She looked breathtaking.

"Adrien!" She cried when she saw who stood at the door, her eyes wide. "Oh Alya, why didn't you tell me?! Now he knows what my costume looks like!"

Without giving the blond a chance to say anything (or anyone to say anything, really), she ran back up the stairs. Nino blinked and shook his head.

"Well then. I think a drink would be nice, Alya. Care for one, Adrien?" His friend wordlessly shook his head, eyes still trained on the staircase. "Right, I think you're drunk enough on what you just saw."

"Leave the poor man be. He's just seen a masterpiece. Just wait until you seen it in completion." Alya chuckled, then went to join her husband.

* * *

Adrien had taken to staying near the door, waiting for either Marinette to come back down, his friends to come out of the dining room or his servants to arrive with a tall glass of champagne. He needed something to calm his shot nerves.

Just then, a bare foot came down the stair, tiptoeing quietly. He stared for a moment and then smirked when he realized what she was trying to do.

"Well, aren't you a sneaky one?"

She gave a squeak and the foot vanished back upstairs. "Adrien?! You're still down there?"

"I'm simply waiting for a drink. Feel free to come down again. I'd love to see you in your beautiful glory once more."

"Go away. I wanted to make my costume a surprise and now you've basically ruined it." she groaned.

" _Or_ you can just come downstairs and join me." He offered. "I don't bite…much."

"You're awful, Monsieur Agreste."

"I try."

She huffed and then all was silent again before those shoes appeared once more, coming down the stairs. The sight was still as affective as the first time. She now had her hair up in a loose chignon, little rubies pinning it up. He noticed there was now a mask in her gloved hand, red lace hanging from the back of it.

"You're irritating, you know." she huffed.

"Hm…and yet, you're still down here with me." He winked. "I think I win this round, don't I?"

Her only response was to put her nose in the air and storm past him, going down the left hall and towards the dining room. How she knew to go there, Adrien had no idea. Perhaps Alya and her were such close friends that they could feel where the other was. Nino certainly seemed to have that sort of thing when it came time to find him.

"Monsieur. Your drink." Plagg asked, having popped up out of nowhere.

"Gah! Plagg, could you please restrain from sneaking up on me like that!? It's going to be the death of me at some point."

"It's not my fault. If anything, blame the little lady you can't ever take your eyes off of." He held out the tall glass with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Here you are."

Adrien took it and sipped the drink, nodding in approval. "Thank you, Plagg. You and your wife should go and change before we leave."

"Of course. Tikki will have my head if I refuse to wear it." The tall servant wandered back down to the servants' quarters. "Oh, try not to let Mademoiselle Marinette get into your head too much. Women tend to do that sort of thing to us."

Adrien questioned whether or not that was more of an insult or friendly advice; he took it as neither. Plagg wasn't exactly one you should listen to about this sort of thing.

* * *

"Everyone ready?" Nino asked, peeking back at the little group waiting behind him.

"As we'll ever be." Adrien muttered.

His friend grinned and nodded in thanks as Plagg opened the door for them. They all set out, Nino automatically offering his arm to his lovely wife, who was now fully dressed, mask and all. A fox fit her cunning personality and witty remarks. Nino was a lucky man.

Marinette, on the other hand, refused to even look at her handsome companion, her cheeks red while she gripped her mask in her hands. She hadn't said a word to him, even when he attempted to make small talk. Perhaps she was really angry with him. Adrien regretted having come by the Lahiffe estate.

"This way, Monsieur." Tikki called out.

He snapped out of his distress and looked to see Plagg and Tikki were ready and waiting at his carriage, with Tikki in a maroon fairy costume and Plagg in a green and black jester outfit. He glanced back to see Marinette had already gone off and stepped into the Lahiffe carriage, her shoulders thrown back in a clear message: She was _really_ angry at him.

He sighed and made his way into his own carriage, putting his head in his hands as the door was shut and Plagg snapped at the horses. Tikki tried to talk to him, but he just asked that she leave him be to think.

He was in need of the apology of Mademoiselle Marinette Dupain-Cheng or else he was never going to be able to succeed in courting her.

* * *

 **By the way, finally watched the Christmas special...and I kinda laughed at it. It was cute, yes, but...it was more amusing than anything else.**

 **Anyway, I'll be updating as soon as I can. I need some more painkillers, though, so not sure I'll be writing as quickly and as frequently as I'd like.**

 **Love you guys!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, short chapter warning. I'm sorry, but Christmas, work and college is kicking me around right now.**

 **I had so much fun looking up masks and outfits for these guys. It's not like I've ever done that before..._**

 **I own nothing.**

* * *

It wasn't until he got out of the carriage with Tikki that he saw the lovely woman smile again. It wasn't because of him, but he got to see it, regardless. A smile of his own came onto his lips before Tikki tapped him on the shoulder and caught his attention.

"Don't forget this." She slipped his mask over his face, then adjusted his hair a bit. "There you are. You look perfect, Monsieur."

"Heh. Maybe you'll be able to talk normally this time around, too." Plagg winked. "I would say 'good luck', but that's not exactly my forte."

Tikki shushed her husband quickly and proceeded to spin her master around and lightly push him in the direction of Nino, Alya and Marinette, who were currently helping one another with their outfits and hair, still maskless. He glanced back at Tikki over his shoulder.

"Tikki, I'm as inept in socializing as I am in luck! There's no possibilities of me being able to speak to her."

"I don't want to hear another word. Save the excuses and go on. Complimenting her would be a good start. Maybe you should try being the gentleman I know you are and escort her. It would be rude to let her go in alone."

Adrien stumbled as she shoved him forward before assembling himself and taking a deep breath. He knew he needed to kick his confidence into gear and he wanted nothing more than to speak to her properly, but his tongue…it had a mind of its' own around her. He gulped and put one foot in front of the other.

"Adrien! There you are. That's quite a mask you've got on…hold on, _are_ you Adrien?" Nino asked.

He laughed and winked. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. I'll leave that decision up to you."

Nino frowned and Alya tilted her head to the side, squinting her eyes in concentration. Had Tikki done her job far too well with his outfit and mask? They really couldn't tell it was him now?

"Well, he may be inside already. Marinette must have scared him off again." Alya teased.

"Wait, I scared him?"

Nino chuckled. "He's fine, I'm sure. Could you help me with my mask?"

Alya moved to assist him before getting the same treatment, her metal orange and onyx-designed mask flattering her face. Nino had simply decided to put a knight's helmet on and leaving it at that. Adrien noticed Marinette, who was currently struggling to put her own on, a lovely pout on her face. He took his chance and stepped in to offer a hand.

"Allow me, my Lady."

She jumped as he took the mask from her fumbling hands, moving to step behind her and carefully place the mask over her face. As he tied the lace, she spoke.

"I had it under control."

Adrien wasn't expecting her to snap at him, but finished his task and let her turn around to face him. The mask covered the majority of her face as well, with one side shaped as a half moon. Red and black suited her well. He couldn't help but grin.

"I'm aware, but I couldn't deny a lovely lady in need of my help."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't know who you are, but I honestly don't want to know. Now, if you could excuse us, we have a ball to get to."

She moved around, grabbing Alya by the arm and storming up the stone stairs. Nino blinked and then snickered, moving past him.

"I say you certainly got under her skin. I wouldn't recommend going after her; she'll turn down anyone. Besides, my friend is attempting to court her, so I don't think messing with a fencing master is wise."

Adrien wanted to laugh as he watched the trio walk inside the building, Tikki and Plagg following close behind. They really didn't know it was him! Was it the mask? The way he acted just now? Was he so different now that Nino couldn't even notice it was him? He would have to talk to Nino about this later.

For now, he was going to use this to his advantage. Tikki's hard work had given him an opening and he was going to take it.

* * *

 **Ta-da~!**

 **...yeah, I know. I hope it was alright.**

 **But yes, they really couldn't tell. I guess they're as clueless as they are in the show. *coughChristmasspecialcough***


	9. Chapter 9

**Alrighty, so this is where things get...interesting. Nothing huge happens in this one, but I promise that will come in the next one.**

 **Enjoy~!**

 **And thank you all for the wonderful comments. They've brought a ginormous smile on my face and I love the reactions to each chapter.**

 **I don't own anything.**

* * *

He followed in after his friends and servants, noticing the many looks he was getting from any women he passed, some giggling behind fans and hands, but all seemingly intrigued by the mystery he carried. The group, with him close behind, walked into the lobby, where servants stood at the ready and groups stood together, chatting. Most, however, were making their way up to the second story of the building by the large staircase, where he could clearly see Marinette ascending and simultaneously talking to Alya. He grinned and slowly followed after them, sauntering up the stairs.

Upon coming up to the second floor, he looked around. It only contained two opposing hallways that held a few closed doors and standing candelabra, with only servants coming and going from either side. Two butlers stood at the two main doors that contained the ball, opening the doors for anyone who handed over a ticket in return.

His two servants, thankfully, didn't give themselves away and handed over their invitations with ease, arms linked and looking like any regal couple would. He still didn't understand how two people were servants instead of trying to up their status; they would certainly succeed.

As he stepped up to the doors, a butler held out his hand, his steel eyes looming down upon the young master. Without skipping a beat, he pulled out the folded invite from his coat pocket and gave it to him, saluting him before strutting inside as the butler nodded.

Lively music welcomed him as he went into the large room, the giant chandelier dimmed for atmosphere. The place was filled with all sorts of costumed people, colorful and bright and creative in every aspect. Adrien grinned as he looked around, taking in the sight of all these mystery people that had no clue who he was behind the mask. He could finally have the fun he'd always wanted to throughout his years and he wasn't about to let the night go to waste.

Time to search the lovely maiden that had somehow vanished into the masses.

* * *

A few minutes passed, with no success. His smile lessened as he failed to spot her, which was nearly impossible when she wore such a lovely gown that he could pinpoint from anyone. Perhaps she had left? He needed to find Nino or Alya if that were the case. And quickly.

He roamed about some more, accepting a glass of wine without giving much thought to it, scanning the area in hopes of finding a knight, fox or lovely woman in red; no such luck. He sighed, walking to the edge of the room and standing as a wallflower, observing the ball with little interest. Where was she?

"There you are."

He jumped and turned to see Plagg and Tikki, holding each other close and appearing to be enjoying mixing in with other people of higher stature. Adrien was just relieved to see some familiar faces.

"What are doing here? You should be dancing the night away with Mademoiselle Marinette!" Tikki exclaimed.

Adrien sighed, ruffling his already messy hair (he rather liked not looking pristine and perfect). "I have yet to even find her. I'm beginning to question if she's even still here."

Tikki puffed out her cheeks in thought. "Then Plagg and I will help you find her. She must be here somewhere. There are quite a lot of people here."

He smiled. "Thank you, Tikki. I'll owe you after this."

"Nonsense. Come, Plagg."

They went off in one direction while he paused to make sure his mask was secure before going in the opposite direction, keeping to the edge of the room as he circled around, searching. Many turned their heads towards him in clear intrigue, but he ignored them all in hopes of finding the one person he was looking for.

"Found you! Come on, Tikki found her and is stalling her for you." Plagg hissed, coming out of nowhere and taking him by the arm. "Mademoiselle seems to have been avoiding you, but that's only a hunch at this point."

"Avoiding me…?"

"There. Go and woo her before she runs off."

Green eyes widened in glee at the sight of her, standing and talking animatedly with Tikki, both women glowing with warmth and excitement. They were surely to be good friends, seeing as they were similar in many ways. He took a deep breath and made his way over. He didn't get far before bluebell eyes caught sight of him and her smile vanished. She grasped Tikki's hands and briefly said something before rushing away and he lost sight of her.

Tikki, looking rather confused, turned in a circle before she spotted him coming her way and her face fell as she met him the rest of the way, trying to avoid elbows and feet.

"I'm so sorry, she ran off suddenly and I didn't get a chance to stop her."

"She spotted me coming over." He frowned. "So she _is_ avoiding me…"

"I can't understand why." Plagg spoke as he joined them. "Looks like your luck ran out."

Adrien hummed in agreement. "So it looks like I'm going to need some luck for me to even talk to her now." He looked down at Tikki with a smirk. "I'm in need of some of your good charms, Tikki."

* * *

 **Well then. So Marinette has some explaining to do soon...**

 **And yes, Adrien seems to just always have bad luck, not to mention Plagg. So, as a minor balance, Tikki is there to make sure these poor guys don't get a piano dropped on their heads...or worse.**

 **Until the next chapter, where things get a bit fun...and MAYBE there'll be some dancing in there, too...maybe.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Oh, this was wonderful to write. I got inspired after having nearly 12 hours of sleep, which I needed. So read on and enjoy~**

 **I don't own anything.**

 **P.S. So I tried fixing that weird bug from Chapter 6, but it would appear that, no matter what I do, the second half of it will stay italicized. However, I realize that this is only if you're reading it from the mobile version, so I'm not sure what's going on with it. Thank you mayuralover for having pointed that out to me. I've been trying to fix it since you mentioned it, but it refuses to do what I want it to. Stupid thing.**

* * *

He had a mission now. A mission and a plan to succeed said mission. He had asked Tikki to play a part of it, but Plagg was his second pair of eyes in this.

So imagine Marinette's surprise was she got a tap on her shoulder and turned to face the same man from before, his smirk still present and his mask perfectly placed. Adrien couldn't have been happier for Plagg having spotted her and had rushed as best he could to get to her before she spotted him first. That way, his job would be much easier from here on out.

"There you are, Mademoiselle. It would appear to me that you've been thoroughly avoiding me throughout our time here. And to think that I was only going to ask for a dance partner."

She frowned. "It would appear you are correct in your observations. One would think to stay away if a lady were trying to avoid you. There are plenty of eligible women who would love to be whisked around the room with you."

He held out his hand. "Perhaps, but I've been looking for only one little lady and I was hoping that she would be the one to accompany me in a waltz."

She stared from his masked face to the gloved hand held out for her, her expression unrelenting. He held his breath and waited. She finally groaned and rolled her eyes, followed by flopping her hand into his. The immediate grin on his face was a handsome sight.

"Thank you, my Lady." He bowed at the waist. "I'm honored and very ecstatic to be given such a wondrous opportunity."

"Don't push it." she mumbled.

"I wouldn't dream of doing so." Now for part two: the important part of his mission. "Shall we?"

She resigned herself to her fate and nodded, allowing him to guide her to an open section among the dancers. Adrien waited for her to be the one to fall into the waltz stance before doing the same, his hand touching her waist.

"I would recommend you not try anything tonight." Marinette warned him. "I know how to fend off disgusting men."

"I wouldn't dream of it." he replied sincerely, which was acknowledged by his companion.

She opened her mouth to say something, perhaps even apologize, but he moved and she had to concentrate on following him. It was only after a few steps when she stumbled, which Adrien was quick to grab her and continue dancing as if nothing had happened. Her cheeks went pink as she did so again, silently chastising herself for still being unable to move gracefully like so many other women could. She was have expecting her mysterious man to make an excuse to leave after the third or fourth time she tripped or somehow managed to step on his feet, but he didn't even seem fazed by her clumsiness.

By the dozenth time, she finally forced herself to speak, lest she die of embarrassment.

"I…I'm sorry…"

"For what?"

She looked into green eyes. "Because I'm such an awful dancer."

He chuckled and she gasped as she was spun around before being pulled back to him. His eyes glinted with innocent mischief and his grin was teasing.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, my Lady. You're a lovely dancer."

She stared up at him. Was he lying to her or had he really not noticed? She bit her lip as she then bumped into another lady, who turned and apologized before spinning away. Adrien smiled.

"My Lady, you need only tell me to leave you alone if you didn't wish to dance with me that badly."

She sputtered nonsense before gaining her composure. "If that were the case, Monsieur, I would have simply declined your offer."

"I see." He grinned at hearing those words, which had locked his second phase into place. "Then I thank you."

"…who are you?"

"Pardon?"

"Who is the mysterious man who doesn't even flinch at such a clumsy lady as myself? Who tries to look everywhere in this large crowd for me? Whom even stepped in to help me with my mask when you don't even know my name?" She paused and looked thoughtful. "Do I know you beneath that mask?"

"Perhaps." He smirked. "And am I hearing right, my Lady? Were you actively avoiding me this entire time I was searching for you?"

Her blush was darker this time. "I-I…no, that's not what I said."

"Oh? You're a terrible liar."

She ducked her head and stared down at her feet, thankful that the mask covered the majority of her face.

"And you're also very fun to tease." he added.

Her head shot up. "You-!"

He boldly winked before the music sped up, which snapped them to attention to focus on matching it. It was only until they could do so automatically that Marinette looked at him.

"Why were you so set on finding me and wanting to ask for a dance?"

"That's a daring assumption."

Her eyes narrowed. "No, actually. Ever since you came up to me from outside, your attention has solely been on me."

So she was more observant than he had first thought. He was glad she wasn't _too_ perceptive, else she would have figured out his identity the moment he had helped her with her mask. Same with Alya and Nino.

"Then it would seem I've been caught."

"So you admit it."

He smirked. "Did I?"

"Don't you try that again with me."

"Then let me ask _you_ a question, Marinette." The mention of her name had her listening closely. "Why have you been avoiding me for so long? Do I seem to have ill intentions? I know you're not a married woman, so that can't be the case either."

She was surely going to turn as red as her dress if he continued being as blunt as he was. He was glad he had the mask on, else he doubted he would have been able to be as brave in his words and actions. She cleared her throat before answering.

"I…I was actually hoping for someone else to come ask me to dance. I was looking for him, but…it would appear he didn't come." Her tone was one of despondency. "He may have been scared away by me and went home."

He sucked in a breath at hearing that. That was what Alya had said earlier out near the carriage! She was talking about him! His heart soared.

"Then he's not worth your time if he's just going to run off from such a gem."

She shook her head. "He's much too kind and…well, I don't know him very well, but I had been hoping to. He…he's so sincere and much too kind for his own good."

"So I have competition?"

Her smile was sudden, but he could see the teasing nature in it. "You don't stand a chance against him, Monsieur."

He only laughed and spun her. Oh, if only she knew.

* * *

 **Ah, so we have some answers now. But there are still some questions, aren't there? Hm...maybe in the next chapter.**

 **Thank you, my sweet readers!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ta-da! I finally finished writing up this chapter. It had been sitting there, waiting for me to come back to it with inspiration. That inspiration came to be today at 5 in the morning.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter~**

 **I don't own anything.**

* * *

He was aware he had her attention or was at least glad for the distraction. She continued to dance with him and the two talked, never pausing in their movement. She still refused his flirtatious advances, however, and kept her distance when he attempted to get closer. He was glad it was because of…well, him, but it was also frustrating.

It wasn't until much later that she finally asked to rest, which he gladly accepted, asking to join her. She gave him an impish smirk, but nodded and allowed him to follow after her, moving to stand beside one of the large pillars. He leaned against it and the two stood in silence.

She was the first to speak again.

"So if you're going to refuse to tell me who you are under that mask, the least you could do is give me a name of some sort. I can't keep calling you 'man'."

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Um…well…"

She giggled. "What, can't think of anything? Cat got your tongue, Monsieur?"

He decided to be daring. "If anything, this cat wants to have yours."

Any playfulness between them vanished and her face reddened, clutching her dress at the bold words. He smirked as a simple, yet effective name came to mind. He moved to stand before her and bowed at the waist dramatically.

"Chat Noir will suffice, I hope."

Despite her embarrassment, she tried to act nonchalant. "Chat Noir, hm?"

"It's the best I can come up with on such short notice."

She put a finger to her lips and thought on it a moment before nodding. "That suits you, I suppose."

He beamed. "So what shall we do now? We've danced for quite some time now, but there must be other things to do besides that."

Her eyes narrowed. "Chat, don't even try going there."

He winked, showing he was only messing with her. "I'll try not to think too hard on it. So, on a serious note, what shall we do now?"

She paused. "If it wasn't raining, we could wander around in the garden behind this building. It's lovely when in full blossom."

Excited, he held out his hand. "What's a little rain to us? I'll even bring my umbrella."

She laughed. "Oh? And what if I hate the rain and don't want to get my dress soaking wet?"

"That hasn't stopped you before."

Her hand, which had been reaching out to take his, froze at the words. She stared at him in surprise at the blatant hint he had just given her. His lips curled as he watched her expression, waiting.

"How do you know that?" she finally asked.

"I know many things about you, yet…at the same time, I know so very little about you. But I do know a little rain never bothered someone like you."

She held her breath as she let her hand be taken, not even stopping the kiss that was pressed to the back of her hand. He straightened and tugged at her hand, asking her to follow him. She felt like she was walking in a strange dream, with a familiar guide holding her hand. Someone she knew.

"Let's hope we won't be spotted leaving by anyone we know."

She barely acknowledged the words he spoke, the gears in her head turning in hopes of trying to figure out who this person was. Someone much too kind and daring, with piercing eyes and a knowing smile. He was mixture of a gentleman and a casanova; always teasing and flirting, yet never overstepping boundaries.

The two ventured out of the ballroom and downstairs to grab an umbrella and rushed outside in a flurry of red, black and green. Marinette couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as he kept a firm hold on her hand, making sure to keep the umbrella solely over her. His hair had already gotten plastered to his forehead, becoming even messier than before, but the grin on his face showed he didn't even notice it.

As they made their way to the side of the building and came to the garden entrance, Adrien slowed, letting go of her hand. She followed his actions, looking back at him. He held gave a slight bow and gestured to the entrance.

"Ladies first."

She coyly returned the bow. "Then perhaps you should go ahead."

The joke took him by surprise, but once she let out a laugh, he couldn't help but join in. She ventured into the garden while he made sure to be one step behind her, keeping the umbrella over her head. The rain was their music now as they roamed into an alcove, a white gazebo in the midst of it. Marinette's eyes went wide as she walked along the stone path.

"Everything is so beautiful here."

"It's very well-maintained." he said in a bored tone.

"You don't find this beautiful?" she questioned, stopping to turn to him.

Green eyes looked down at her. "I'd much rather have you than any mere garden, my Lady."

"M-me?" Her cheeks reddened at the compliment. "I….thank you, Chat."

"Just stating a fact, my Lady. You're much easier on the eyes than what any flowers and bushes could be." He waved a hand at the path. "Shall we continue, then?"

"Oh! Yes, of course."

He enjoyed the fact that she was so flustered by his simple comment that she nearly tripped while trying to walk. Luckily, his reflexes were faster than gravity was.

He caught her with one hand by her waist and set her upright before releasing her, knowing not to linger. She smoothed out her dress and smiled over her shoulder at him in thanks.

"Perhaps I should withhold any more admiration, lest you decide to trip over your feet for me. I would rather you not fall on that pretty face of yours."

"If a pretty face is all I am, then why not look for Chloe Bourgeois? I'm sure she would love to have someone like you fawn over her."

Adrien grimaced. "I'd rather not, thank you."

She raised an eyebrow in his direction. "You mean to tell me you _don't_ find her as the loveliest flower in all of Paris?" she asked sarcastically.

"Contrary to popular belief, not everyone sees her as a delicate flower. She's more a thorn than a rose."

"You sound as if you're speaking from personal experience." she said curiously.

"More than I'd like to admit, my Lady."

They had made their way to the gazebo and Adrien gave a hand in helping Marinette climb inside before following in after her, shutting the umbrella and shaking it dry before setting it to the side. He turned to face his companion and his heart stuttered at the sight of her, sitting delicately on one of the benches and fixing her hair as best she could. She glanced up at him after a moment of silence had passed.

"Are you just going to stand there, Minou?"

The nickname snapped him from his stupor. "I…forgive me, Mari. I know it's rude to stare at a lady, but it's hard not to when you're the one involved."

She smiled faintly. "Well, you're the one who invited me out here. What are we going to do now?"

The fact that she had even agreed to come along in the first place was a major feat for him. Now he just had to try and see if he could get closer to her. He went to sit opposite of her, giving her space and allowing him a full view. Marinette bit her lip before daring herself to ask again.

"Chat…? Who are you?"

"Someone you've met before." Was his vague reply.

She sighed. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

He was a bit surprised when she then reached up and took off her mask, revealing her entire face to him. Her expression was a bit more serious now.

"Chat, do I really know you? If so, then why is it I can't figure out who you are?"

"I believe you're thinking about it too hard. I'm not exactly hiding who I am."

She tilted her head to the side. "You don't look or act like any man I've ever met."

Tikki had truly outdone herself this time. He would have to talk to her about getting better pay.

"Then I guess you're stuck having to figure out who I am, my Lady."

* * *

 **Well then. Looks like Adrien is going to try and make Marinette become a fashionable Sherlock Holmes. This should be interesting.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Finally! I. AM. FREEEE! College finals are insane, man. Anyway, I'm back and ready to do this!**

 **And, by the by, I went back and corrected my stupid mistake. Thank you, Pick up a Penny, for pointing out my flaw. I really should have asked my cousin, seeing as she's amazing at French...**

 **Sorry, read! Read on and enjoy!**

 **I don't own anything except plot.**

* * *

Adrien watched as that lovely face scrunched up into a pouty frown, clearly annoyed by his vague answers. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, as he laced his fingers together under his chin. Blue eyes blinked in surprise at the action.

"As for what we can do out here, there are plenty of things. But, first and foremost, I wanted one lone dance in the rain." He grinned. "Or at least under the shelter of this gazebo here."

"Well…I suppose one more dance couldn't hurt, could it?" She stood to her feet and Adrien followed. "But just one. Understood? I should be leaving soon and you've kept me much longer than anyone ever could at any ball or party."

"I hope that's a compliment, my Lady." he replied with a bow.

She curtsied back with a smirk. "I'll let you decide that, Minou."

He chuckled and the two took their usual pose together, hands tangled and heads close. Adrien sucked in a breath before moving his feet to a simple melody he could think up, allowing his instincts to do the rest for him. Marinette followed curiously after, slow and sweet.

She didn't say anything for a time, merely searched his masked face while he waited for her to speak. She seemed to be quite content with staring at his hidden face, as if his name were to pop onto his forehead at any moment.

"Trying to figure it out still?"

"I'm beginning to believe you're lying to me. I don't know anyone like you."

"Try again, Marinette."

She sighed and shook her head, saying nothing as her eyes moved away from his face to stare at his chest, appearing to have given up. Or that was what it seemed like.

"This outfit…it's familiar. I've seen it before."

So she was beginning to recall it now.

"Oh? You've been dancing with me this whole night and you say that now?"

"Don't you start to make me doubt my thoughts, Monsieur. I know clothes and fabric unlike anyone you've ever met." She brushed her hand down his chest. He hoped she couldn't feel his pounding heart underneath all this black material. "Yes, I must have seen this…somewhere."

"Should I let you think on it?" He asked as he dipped her. "Or would I get that sweet pout again if I distract you?"

That very pout came onto her face. "Chat, must you really do that now?"

He laughed and brought her back up. "I couldn't resist."

She rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter, anyway. I have a feeling I'm not going to ever find out who you are."

And the two continued dancing under the sound of the rain before Adrien allowed the dance to end. He stepped back for a final twirl, his eyes taking in the sight of her skirts spinning beautifully about her figure before she stopped. He still held her hand high in the air, poised perfectly as ever. She stared at him for a moment before sighing and letting her hand slip from his, ending the sweet atmosphere.

"I suppose I should head home now…"

"Then I believe you'll need this, won't you?" Adrien picked up the umbrella with one hand and tossed it into the air, catching it with his other hand before pointing the handle towards her in invitation. "Can't have you getting sick."

She rolled her eyes and grasped hold of the umbrella, then instantly paused, her mind racing. He enjoyed seeing the way her bright eyes narrowed slightly in thought, waiting for her to say something.

"I…sorry, I was just remembering something." She took the umbrella from him and scurried pas him, forcing it open. "Good night, Chat!"

He frowned at her retreating figure, slightly confused by the transaction. What had passed through her sharp mind for her to appear so flustered? He knew he would have no choice but to wait for that particular answer.

* * *

Upon returning, Tikki seemed to appear out of thin air. If he didn't know her as well as he did, he would think her a witch of some sort. She pulled at his arm until he followed her, going behind a pillar. Plagg waited, holding his mask in one hand.

"About time. Thought you up and left us behind." Plagg grumbled.

"You were with her, weren't you? What was it like? Did she say anything?" Tikki rambled off.

Adrien chuckled and allowed himself to review the past few hours in glee. He had never had so much fun at a ball before today. His servants waited impatiently, but Tikki could easily see past the mask he wore.

"It was one of the best experiences I've ever had, Tikki. We danced and talked and…and she didn't even know it was me! I must say, you've outdone yourself with this outfit, Tikki."

Instead of the excited response he was expecting, he was shocked when both their faces fell in clear disappointment. Before he could ask, Plagg sighed loudly.

"You don't mean to tell us that you didn't actually take off your mask? You know, the big reveal?"

"I…I was going to…eventually."

"Well, this was a waste. Who would be interested in a stranger with a mask for a face?"

Before the young bachelor could retaliate, his servant groaned and slipped back into the mass of people, leaving just him and Tikki to talk. And by the look in her eyes, he was in for quite the earful. His night had turned sour in a matter of seconds.

"What exactly happened, Monsieur?"

Adrien's shoulders slumped, but he begrudgingly retold his tale, wanting nothing more than to go back home and throw himself into bed. But his hope quickly returned as Tikki's frown changed into a large smile when he had finished talking.

"This may not be the outcome Plagg and I were hoping for, but it's certainly something! We may be able to save this whole plan after all. Follow me."

Adrien did so as she made her way out of the ballroom and down to the first floor, pulling her mask off in the process. Plagg stood near the door, arms folded and body tense. How Tikki had known he would be done here, Adrien had no clue.

"Plagg! Get the carriage! Quickly!" Tikki squealed as rushed to him. "We have to head home."

Though his dark hair partially covered his eyes, it was obvious he was glaring up at his master. Tikki didn't pay that any mind and moved to shove him towards the doors.

"Geez! Alright, woman, alright! Keep your corset on."

Plagg left out into the drizzling rain, which gave Adrien a moment to give Tikki a question that had just occurred to him.

"Tikki, what do you have planned now?"

She grinned over her shoulder at him, her eyes twinkling. "If you intend to keep yourself unknown and she was still so clearly intrigued, then we can use that to our advantage. I have a lot to do over the next few days. Hopefully Plagg won't disturb me."

As she began to mumble to herself, Adrien gazed out the window, watching the rain make its way down the glass. He wondered if Marinette was already back home, snuggled up in bed and thinking thoughts only of him. Not just his masked self that she had met tonight, but the real him.

He smiled.

* * *

 **I will be updating soon!**

 **Isn't our little couples adorable?**


	13. Chapter 13

**I intended for this to be short, so hopefully you won't be too upset with me. I'll be able to finally sit and write more, so this is just the beginning, my dears. I promise the next chapter will be here shortly.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **I don't own Miraculous Ladybug or anything in here besides plot stuff.**

* * *

The next few days, Tikki was more of a busybody than was normal for her. Adrien rarely saw her and when he did, she was constantly muttering to herself, sometimes carrying things as she raced down the hall. Plagg openly voiced his annoyance about not seeing his wife, but both men knew better than to get in the way of her now. Tikki ended up assigning some other maids to temporarily take her place in her duties for her master, completely engulfed in her current task at hand.

Her mysterious actions came to be known after five days, to which she proceeded to excitedly burst into his study and slam something over the book Adrien had been reading.

"Finished!"

"Tikki! Geez, could you _not_ startle me like that?!"

She ignored his outburst and pointed proudly to the long object she had draped over his desk. "Look at my masterpiece! I truly outdid myself, didn't I?"

Adrien blinked down at his desk, brushing his fingers against it. His eyes glanced up at her surprise once he saw the complete project.

"A new outfit?"

"Complete with a cape and simpler mask. Can't have her figuring things out, but we need to make sure you don't look like ridiculous when you go out in public."

"Have to go in style, as always, huh?"

She giggled. "But of course."

He leaned back, fingering the material with a smile. "You two will get along well, I'm sure."

Tikki moved to leave the room, but paused as she opened the door. "I'm certain you two will, too, Monsieur."

* * *

The following day, Adrien purposely dropped all plans and made sure to be up and running, looking forward to seeing Marinette's reaction when he ended up at her door.

In his bedroom, he began to dress himself in the new outfit, admiring the style and material as he did so. Tikki shortly came in, knocking lightly before letting herself in. She laughed when she saw him attempting to put on his cape, his mask askew on his face.

"You're utterly hopeless in some cases, Monsieur. Hold still."

Adrien sighed, but complied. She successfully tied the cape on, then moved to help fix his mask, which was style and material as he did so. Tikki shortly came in, knocking lightly before letting herself in. She laughed when she saw him attempting to put on his cape, his mask askew on his face.

"You're utterly hopeless in some cases, Monsieur. Hold still."

Adrien sighed, but complied. She successfully tied the cape on, then moved to help fix his mask, which was only a small black one that brought out his green eyes. Tikki stepped back after a few minor adjustments, then nodded her head.

"You're all set. The carriage is waiting for you."

"Thank you, Tikki. I honestly couldn't have done any of this without you."

She winked back at him. "I know. Now go out and woo her."

* * *

The ride there was an anxious one for the young Agreste, his knee bouncing and his hands shaking. He couldn't stop looking out the window every few seconds to see how far along they had gone, but that action alone just served to make him even more nervous. Would she just slam the door in his face instead of welcoming him? Maybe she would roll her eyes and scoff? Smile? Laugh even?

The carriage stopped.

"Alright, here we are. I'll be waiting should you need anything." Plagg informed as he opened the door for him. "Though, I doubt you'll be here for long."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Plagg."

"Any time."

Adrien stepped out and made sure everything was as it should be, then gazed before him: her door stared back.

"You gonna just stare at it, then? Go on, lover boy." Plagg waved him on, climbing back into his seat. "I'll wait here, just in case."

"You just want to see me fail, don't you?"

"Heh. You know me too well."

Adrien groaned, but resigned himself to his fate as he walked up to her door. He hesitated a few tense moments before sucking in a breath and knocking with one shaky fist.

"One minute!" A voice shouted from inside.

Adrien wasn't expecting the cascade of weird crashing noises that followed, ending with a feminine voice groaning in slight pain. After a second or two, the door slowly opened…and Adrien burst out laughing.

"Hey now, there's no need t – _Chat?!_ "

"My Lady, you truly know how to make an entrance!" he snorted.

"I…you…"

Standing before him, holding the door open, was Marinette Dupain-Cheng, covered from head to toe in powdered white. The red blush on her shocked face completed the scene for him and brought on another wave of laughter.

"Chat, what on earth are you even doing here?!"

"I intended to surprise you, but it appears I may have caught you at a bad time." He said after he managed to catch his breath. "You ended up surprising me, it would seem."

"I accidently let a bag of flour fall on the ground and it got all over me. I wasn't expecting visitors today." She pouted. "And especially not _you_ , of all people."

"Well, perhaps I can be of help?" he said with a slight bow.

She inhaled deeply before huffing and turning away from him, storming back into her home. He waited in front of the open door for a moment in confusion before grinning widely.

"See ya later, Plagg!" he whispered, waving.

"Good luck, then."

Adrien stepped into the household and shut the door behind him, listening to the sound of his carriage leaving. He took a moment to lean against the door and soak in the situation, taking in his new surroundings.

He was here, in her house. This was actually _working_.

"Chat? You going to stand there all day or are you going to actually help me? This kitchen of mine is a mess and no one else is here at this hour to help me."

"On my way, my Lady."

* * *

 **Adrie-I mean, Chat to the rescue!**

 **Let's see how this plays out, shall we?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Here. Take it before I decide to use a grenade on this chapter. It's been beating me senseless for so long, just sitting on my laptop and screaming my name.**

 **I don't own anything and except exhaustion.**

* * *

Adrien found the place to be warm and inviting, with tasteful design that gave the impression of an open home. He immediately took a liking to it. It was when he followed her downstairs that he began laughing again, pretending not to notice the annoyed look Marinette threw over her shoulder as she stepped through the flour that covered the kitchen.

"You truly outdid yourself. I haven't seen something this bad since one of my servants dropped an entire wheel of camembert in my stables. You couldn't even walk by it without gagging."

She smiled at the little story. "Sounds like you have an interesting life, Chat."

"Well, I wouldn't say that. That is, unless, you're somehow in the equation." he winked.

She merely rolled her eyes, but he beamed with pride at the responding blush on her face. In order to clearly distract them both, Mari began speaking about her basement kitchen, showing her companion around. Adrien allowed it, giving her time to breathe. It wasn't going to deny that he took that time to also enjoy her lovely profile and soothing voice that stuttered every so often when she got embarrassed; he certainly liked the latter when that happened.

"So that's….that's my kitchen. My bakery is actually attached next door." She smiled. "Just in case you were having secret plans about finding it and trying to surprise me."

"You already know me too well, my Lady." He returned with a short bow. "So, shall we begin cleaning up that flour-y mess over there?"

She sighed and glanced down at her sleeves before shrugging and moving to get a broom and dustpan. He took the pan and bent down to hold it out for her without a word.

"Um…thank you, by the way."

He glanced up at her, but she was completely turned away from him, probably on purpose, sweeping carefully. He chuckled at the shyness as he rolled up his own sleeves.

"It's no trouble at all, Marinette."

The two lapsed into momentary silence as they cleaned, with Marinette too flustered to speak and Adrien too smitten to form words. She had such a strange grace about her, even in her clumsiness, that drew him in like a moth to a flame. He didn't mind that she was being so quiet right now, only because he could now see her in simple clothing and not an elaborate ball gown. The sight was still breathtaking, in his opinion, even if she was only wearing a faded pink dress and stained apron, her hair in two pigtails.

Once they finally managed to clean up the majority of the mess, both stood back and looked over their accomplishment. Marinette grinned and turned to her companion.

"Well, looks like that little bit is done…oh my."

"What?"

"You, um…" She giggled and reached up to touch his mask. "You have some flour on you. I apologize, I should have gotten you an apron or something so you didn't have to look like me."

"I don't mind. This will come clean with ease. My maids are good at what they do. Speaking of, don't you have any servants of your own? You can't possibly live alone and manage everything yourself, do you?"

She walked away and began to open cupboards, pulling items out from each one. "I do, but I prefer doing things myself when it comes to my own house. As for my bakery, I have workers that come in for a certain amount of hours and help me make dozens upon dozens of things. But as for my servants, I have few and don't require them to stay here. I give them time off, away from work to enjoy their own lives."

Adrien soaked in the information, intrigued. He had never heard of anyone from here do such a thing until now and the thought itself wasn't too bad an idea for his own household. Maybe he ought to follow her example and give his servants some time for themselves. It wouldn't hurt to.

"I've never considered something like that. I'll have to try that out myself. I'm sure my servants will be thrilled."

She smiled over her shoulder at him. "Now come and help me reach these things on the higher shelves. I usually have Théo help me, but he's not going to be here for another hour, so I might as well start now since you're here to help."

"Hm…I suppose I could. Just for today." He winked as he moved forward to grab whatever it is she wanted. "And perhaps I could get a prize at the end."

She smacked his shoulder. "Chat!"

The two easily fell into rhythm, Adrien nearly wanting to bounce off the walls at how wonderful and normal it felt to be here with her. He enjoyed helping her, enjoyed being in her company and playfully bantering with one another. The moment for him, however, ended rather too shortly for him.

"Mari!"

Adrien turned his head and nearly dropped the bowl he was holding for Marinette. A young man in simple clothing and a dirty apron was coming into the kitchen like he owned the place, tying his brown hair into a short ponytail.

"Théo! It's about time you showed up." Marinette exclaimed, not even batting an eye. "Go ahead and start kneading some bread. I'm focusing on macaroons."

Adrien remained speechless for a moment, brows scrunched up in a confusion. Mari glanced his way after a moment, pointing to the new addition in the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry, I concentrate so much I nearly forget my manners." She did a short introduction, but both men barely responded to the other, causing a strange tension in the room. "Chat decided to stop by and see me, so I put him to work."

"How nice." was Théo's snappy reply over his shoulder.

Adrien frowned as he watched the man roll up his sleeves and drop a ball of dough into a bunch of flour spread around the table, beginning to furiously beat and toss the dough a little too roughly. Marinette either ignored it or was oblivious to what was going on around her, engrossed in her task before her.

"So. Chatty, was it?" Théo spoke up.

"It's Chat."

"Like I said. Care to explain the mask? It doesn't exactly seem normal, you know."

Adrien wanted to snarl at him. "It doesn't exactly concern you."

A short bout of silence as Théo continued to beat down the bread. "When did you meet Marinette? I can't exactly see her befriending someone like you."

"At the masquerade ball." Mari spoke up. "Chat's a very good dancer."

The masked man turned to look at her, but she didn't even appear fazed by her own comment. He, on the other hand, felt strangely warm under all the black clothing now.

* * *

 **Théo just arrived on the scene and things got tense. Don't worry too much, guys. Just wait for the cute, fluffy moments.**


	15. BIG NEWS

p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Hello everyone! I'm alive! I'm here to tell you all that I haven't abandoned my fanfics. I've been through a lot lately and I haven't forgotten about any of my stories. In fact, I have good news:/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"I'm going to rewrite all of them!/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"So please be a bit more patient so that I can go ahead and get these all back up. You'll be bombarded soon, my dear readers. I sincerely apologize for vanishing so suddenly, but I'm back and ready to roll!/em/strong/p 


End file.
